1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to pile weather stripping. More particularly, it relates to an improved pile weather strip having a row of pile formed from closely packed monofilament yarns of non-circular solid or hollow cross-section whereby improved resistance to infiltration of foreign material such as air and moisture is achieved.
2. Description of the Priot Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,421 discloses a pile weather strip having a center row of pile formed from yarn fibers of lower denier and greater density than the yarn fibers in the two adjacent rows of pile.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,944,693 shows a pile weather strip having a single row of interspersed first and second pluralities of yarn fibers. The first plurality of fibers have a common first diameter, and the second plurality of fibers have a common second diameter less than the first diameter. The second plurality of fibers are distributed throughout the spaces between the first plurality of fibers for increasing the pile density.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,599 discloses a weather strip having a center row of pile in which the yarn fibers may be of any suitable physical shape, texture, length and density. Included in desired physical shapes are flat or twisted fibers as well as flat or essentially circular monofilaments. The center fibers are bonded together to form a windbreak.
A well known form of commercially available pile weather stripping comprises a row of upstanding pile material supported on a flexible backing strip wherein the pile is formed of non-circular shaped yarn fibers.
The primary purpose of a pile weather strip is to seal the space between two relatively movable closure members. Although the known pile weather strips achieve this purpose to a large degree, a major problem is that some air and moisture still passes through the pile. The object of this invention is to provide an improved pile weather strip in which a row of pile therein is formed from substantially identical yarn monofilaments of non-circular cross-section to further reduce the infiltration of air and moisture through the pile.